If used, I hope that the sole focus will be to educate and prevent sexual assault and abuse.

Have a blessed day and thank you for your time.

F.Y.

A Hat Gives a Man Dignity

Dear Dr. Horvat,

I want to sincerely thank you for your article on Getting the Ball Rolling on Hats. I have worn hats for years and have found it very difficult to find anything on hat etiquette.

I've purchased at used book stores a couple of 60+ year old books on etiquette in general, hoping for a chapter on hat etiquette but have been disappointed because the books believe the reader already has a basic understanding of hat etiquette.

I've asked military men about hat etiquette, and it seems each branch of the military has different rules of hat etiquette. So I've been taking bits and pieces of hat etiquette and tried my best to perform hat etiquette.

Since I read TIA website just about everyday, purchase your merchandise, read all the daily postings, especially your articles on etiquette, I was overjoyed to see you addressed hat etiquette.

I finally have the Catholic answerer to hat etiquette! Thank you, my search has ended!

And I do confirm, not that you need my confirmation, but wearing a clean brushed hat to work does give dignity to a man. Through the years many have commented how smart I look.

I've been considering purchasing a walking stick, but since I know nothing about walking sticks I've not purchased one as yet.

I recently came across your website. I was shocked to find the info on Eric Gill... but I just wanted to know if you reject Distributism per se ... a la Belloc and Chesterton et al. - or just idiosyncratic Distributism??

Thanks.

P.W.

TIA responds:

Mr. P.W.,

In each one of his articles Mr. Patrick Odou presents reasons why he opposes Distributism as defended by various authors. He studied specifically Arthur Penty, Eric Gill and Vincent McNabb, and in passing he refuted an important position of Herbert Shove and Harold Robbins while dealing with McNabb. Thus, he had already brought to the stage five authors who called themselves distributists and have condemnable points.

Now, we leave it to you to see whether this position fits your concept of Distributism per se or idiosyncratic Distributism. Your distinction was not very clear. Perhaps next time you could better explain what each one means.

Cordially,

TIA correspondence desk

Information on Eric Gill

Dear Colleagues,

I was intrigued to see the correspondence on your website about Eric Gill, so wanted to draw you attention and that of your subscribers, to my BBC documentary 'Looking for Mr Gill'. The film has been screened several times on BBC. It has been very well received and is now available on DVD. More information and details on how to acquire the DVD are featured here.

I would be grateful if you could draw attention of your site visitors to the availability of the film.

With kind regards,

Luke Holland, England

A Propos Eric Gill

Now come, people! Patrick Odou is entirely justified in describing the sexual mania of Eric Gill who "went all the way" with daughters or dogs and then some! It is the most complete violation of the traditional Christian faith for a man to act and exhibit in such manner as this.

While at the same time (in the same spirit of veracity) one sees that it is a widespread collapse in traditional belief that associates with such pan-sexuality as our culture has long been sliding into.

As an old experienced male, an ordained Lutheran pastor (1956 - & insofar very much a 'catholic'), a 'fellowshiped' Unitarian minister, I confess to my own experience in middle age of having enjoyed a Mormon relationship within my family for a couple of years -- for me, however paradoxically, a renewing and healing relationship after severe and injurious disappointment in the (Protestant) ministry. How so?

In this matter I favor a Freud/Jung sort of theory: that element of the libido which had been taken up into the religious symbol, when freed and promiscuous by the erosion of one's personal faith, seeks its natural sexual outlet. Hypothetical, at best, but a thought.

In a book of my own, Rod of Jesse (rodofjesse.com) I deal with the remarkable case of John Allegro and his Sacred Mushroom & the Cross in which he seeks, mistakenly, to reduce Jesus to the dimensions of Amanita muscaria. A case to be compared with Eric Gill.

At the same time I have recognized the validity of Allegro's challenge as such - challenge to a religion grown effete, commonplace, dishonest, shallow... without acknowledging its own crisis. Hence, my book with ample evidence and parallels displaces the Phallic Element to be found in earlier religion yet invisibly or unconsciously perpetuating in later expressions upon the (mythical) person of Lazarus - entirely without indecency although of course without avoiding all mention of the phallus.

What I am saying is that a validity may be found on BOTH SIDES of the argument here, but with one definite qualification. Those on the erotically liberal side of the argument ought really to face the fact that a deep incision has separated them from the ancient Gospel and its meaning. Can faith be recovered on these newer terms, then? The sexual mania of Eric Gill, so well described by Patrick Odou, may serve as challenge - or warning.

Ernest Werner

Posted May 13, 2008

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